Spring Indoor Air Quality Guide for Eugene & Springfield Homeowners

From wildfires to pollen, there are many uncontrollable factors that can impact your indoor air quality (IAQ) in Eugene and Springfield. Spring is the worst season for IAQ issues, making this an important time for allergy and asthma sufferers to monitor their air quality and take action. With a few key changes to your heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system, you can prevent springtime IAQ problems from impacting your family’s respiratory health and comfort.

Why Spring Is the Worst Season for Indoor Air Quality

While Oregon has IAQ concerns during other parts of the year, spring stands out as the worst season for air quality problems. This is due to the convergence of multiple factors at the same time. As the weather changes, the air temperature warms up, and humidity levels rise. This triggers plants to release pollen into the air, which can worsen spring allergies. Additionally, the rising humidity can lead to mold growth. 

Pet dander and dust worsen during springtime as well. Animals start to shed as the weather warms up, resulting in more dander. 

Additionally, homes are often sealed during the winter, allowing allergens to settle. When spring cleaning begins, and you start opening up your windows more frequently, this allows the allergens to get stirred up. 

How High Humidity Impacts Your Home

As humidity levels start to rise in the springtime, they can cause mold and mildew to grow inside your home. Besides being harmful to allergen sufferers, this can also result in musty odors. 

Over time, humidity levels and mold can damage your furniture and walls. The added humidity makes the wood swell. When humidity levels fall, the wood shrinks and buckles. As this process repeats throughout the year, it can result in cracked wood floors, warped furniture, and doors that stick. 

Finally, humidity plays a major role in your family’s comfort. When your home lacks humidity control, it can make the air feel sticky. 

Signs Your Home Has Poor Indoor Air Quality

For people who live in the Springfield or Eugene area, there are a few common signs of poor indoor air quality that you should watch out for. If you notice any of the following symptoms, it’s a good idea to schedule a professional assessment to determine which indoor air quality services near you can alleviate your air quality problems.

• Frequent allergy flare-ups
• Excessive dust
• Condensation on your windows
• Musty odors
• Stale air

How Your HVAC System Improves Air Quality

Your HVAC system is responsible for transporting air throughout your home. If the ductwork or HVAC unit is dirty, the dust and allergens can end up in every room. Routine HVAC maintenance can help you avoid this issue by ensuring your system is working properly.

In addition to scheduling routine maintenance, there are a few other ways your HVAC system can improve your home’s air quality. The right method depends on which problem you are dealing with.

1. High-Efficiency Air Filters

The minimum efficiency reporting value (MERV) is based on a scale that goes from 1 to 16. Realistically, most homes have filters with a MERV rating between 8 and 11. A higher MERV rating is directly correlated to an increased capacity for removing particulates from the air. For example, while MERV 8 filters only capture 90% of dust and large particles, MERV 13 filters are efficient enough to filter microscopic bacteria and viruses.

While getting a high-efficiency air filter is an excellent way to filter out allergens, you don’t want to simply pick the filter with the highest MERV rating because HVAC systems have to work harder to push air through filters that have higher ratings. To avoid damaging your HVAC system, you need to make sure your unit is rated for the filter. As long as your unit can handle it, a MERV 11 to 13 filter will work for most allergy issues.

2. Whole-Home Dehumidifiers

Eugene receives an average of 47 inches of rain a year, making it an incredibly humid place to live. To avoid mold, mildew, and sticky air, it’s a good idea to get a dehumidifier for your home. Whole-home dehumidifiers are an excellent option because they are directly installed in your HVAC system so that all of the air in your home is treated at the same time.

Because the whole-home dehumidifier is linked to your HVAC system, it can make incremental adjustments until your home reaches the ideal humidity level. In most cases, the best balance of comfort and mold prevention is at a relative humidity of 30% to 50%. 

3. Air Purification Systems

When it comes to air purifiers, UV light purifiers are an incredibly effective option. While air filters are designed to filter out particles of air, UV lights are capable of actually neutralizing bacteria, viruses, and mold spores. Because moisture is common around evaporator coils, UV lights are an important method for reducing mold spores within your HVAC system.

Meanwhile, an electronic air cleaner works by ionizing particles so that they are trapped on collector plates. However, these devices must be properly maintained, or they can produce low levels of ozone particles. When properly cared for, electronic air cleaners can reduce allergy symptoms and support respiratory health.

4. Duct Cleaning and Sealing

One of the most important things you can do for your indoor air quality is schedule a routine duct cleaning. Your ductwork is responsible for transporting air throughout your home. Over time, it can develop pinhole tears and small gaps between joints. These holes allow conditioned air to escape and contaminants to get inside. By cleaning and sealing your ducts, you can improve your indoor air and save money on energy costs.

5. Regular HVAC Maintenance

Finally, you can significantly improve your HVAC air quality through routine maintenance. As a part of our maintenance membership, you can get your HVAC system cleaned and inspected twice each year. In between inspections, you can improve your IAQ by making sure to replace filters every 30 to 90 days.

Best Spring HVAC Upgrades for Better IAQ

As the weather warms up, it’s time to get your HVAC system ready for the summer. Spring is a good opportunity to review your existing setup and make changes. Our team can help you upgrade your HVAC system and enhance your indoor air quality.

• Smart Thermostats: Whether you want a more comfortable home or better air quality, a smart thermostat is an excellent investment. Smart thermostats can be programmed with your preferred temperature settings for different times of day, and they adapt to your preferences over time. Plus, smart thermostats can connect to your dehumidifier and adjust the temperature to accommodate your home’s relative humidity.
• Variable-Speed Systems: A variable-speed system is an effective way to improve your IAQ. These units are able to ramp up and down based on the temperature required instead of simply being on or off. Because of this, a variable-speed system runs for longer and can filter more of the air in your home. The added filtration can also boost your air circulation and support better humidity control.
• Zoning: If someone in your home suffers from allergies, zoning can help. Zoning involves separating your home into different sections and giving each zone its own HVAC control. This allows you to increase filtration in specific areas. Additionally, separating different zones can help you keep pet dander and other allergens from being transported from place to place by your HVAC system.

DIY Tips To Improve Air Quality This Spring

If you are concerned about your HVAC air quality, there are a few proactive steps you can take. Besides doing the following DIY tips, we also recommend scheduling a professional HVAC tune-up to ensure your system is clean and functioning at its best.

• Change Filters: By far, the most important thing you can do to care for your HVAC unit is to clean or replace the filter consistently. The filter protects your HVAC system and your family from dust, pollen, and other airborne contaminants.
• Vent Bathrooms and Kitchens: Bathrooms and kitchens both produce excess moisture, which needs to be vented outside your home. Your kitchen is also a source of combustion byproducts. Because these byproducts can trigger allergies and asthma attacks, it’s important to use your oven fan whenever you are cooking.
• Keep Windows Closed During Peak Pollen Times: When pollen levels are up, keep your windows closed. Pollen can easily pass through your window screens. Once indoors, it can be impossible to completely remove the pollen, making prevention a wiser course of action.

When To Call an HVAC Professional

While you can handle filter changes and venting on your own, serious HVAC concerns should be left to the professionals. Any time you have a long-standing or recurring problem, you should seek professional diagnosis and repairs. We recommend you reach out to our team if you notice any of the following symptoms.

• Persistent Odors: An unusual smell may indicate that something is wrong with your HVAC system. For example, mold growth, refrigerant leaks, and electrical malfunctions can all result in weird smells. Refrigerant leaks, in particular, are an immediate sign you need to get professional help.
• Mold: If you notice the smell of mold when your HVAC system is on, you may have mold growth in your HVAC unit or ductwork. Both of these problems need to be dealt with by an experienced HVAC technician.
• Allergy Symptoms: If you are experiencing allergy symptoms, you should schedule a professional IAQ assessment. This is especially true if your allergy symptoms are new or worsening.

Get an IAQ Assessment

While poor indoor air quality can have a major impact on your health, you don’t have to just put up with it. By upgrading your IAQ equipment and performing routine maintenance, you can prevent allergies, asthma, and other respiratory problems.

Schedule an indoor air quality assessment or spring tune-up to learn more.